


Glad That You Exist

by shayzgirl



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) RPF
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Minor Injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-04
Updated: 2012-09-04
Packaged: 2017-11-13 13:35:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/504068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shayzgirl/pseuds/shayzgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James returns home after a few months of being gone to bad news.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glad That You Exist

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [luninosity](http://luninosity.livejournal.com/) on LJ for her birthday which was months ago and I'm so sorry this is so very, very, very late.

It was late afternoon, nearing evening, when James' flight finally came in after being delayed. He'd taken a cab home, having been unable to reach Michael's mobile from the airport. The cab had only just pulled away when his mobile rang.

"Hey Joy, I've just got home, can I call you in a bit?"

"James… I'm sorry, there was an accident. Michael's… he's in the hospital."

"What?"

James turned around, hailing another cab without bothering to drop his luggage off. He didn't want to go into the flat knowing Michael wasn't there waiting for him. His sister and Michael's sister, Catherine, were waiting for him when he arrived at the hospital. Joy hugged him, offering silent comfort and support for her big brother. James then hugged Catherine.

"He's in surgery still for some minor internal bleeding. We should know something soon," she said.

"Good," James replied.

"I've been meaning to come to visit. I didn't think it would be like this," she said.

"Me either. But it'll be okay. He'll be okay. He's strong and he'll be home in no time and we'll have dinner or something. All four of us, okay?"

James looked between both women, trying to offer a reassuring smile.

"Okay," Catherine nodded.

Joy nodded, too. They sat together on one of the waiting room couches, James' duffle bag tucked against one side, out of the way. James sat in the middle, his arm around Catherine who was leaning against him, her head resting on his shoulder and Joy sat on his other side, holding his hand.

"When we were kids, I dared him to climb this big tree in our backyard so he did. About halfway up, he fell. For about a minute and a half, I thought he was hurt or something worse but then he sat up and started laughing. Then tried to climb the tree again," Catherine said.

"That's who he is," James replied, "always getting up again. Except once, when we were filming on the beach. We were supposed to be fighting and I landed wrong. He was so worried and I had to reassure him several times before we could go back to filming."

"I remember that. He called me that night because he wanted someone to talk to who would listen and mostly not judge him. After half an hour or so of listening to him talk about you, I told him to try talking to you instead of me."

"You did?"

Catherine nodded.

"He did come to talk to me that night. There weren't any grand declarations or anything but it still felt like the start of something, start of us. So thank you," James said.

"You're welcome. I like seeing my brother happy," Catherine replied.

"Me, too," Joy added.

"You're the best sisters ever."

He held them a little tighter, grateful to have both with him.

Soon a doctor walked over to them, Catherine standing up first when he reached them.

"How is he?" she asked.

"He's fine. We were able to stop the bleeding and repair the damages. His tibia was fractured in the crash but it's a stable fracture so it should heal fine. He'll need to take it easy and rest for the next several days making sure to keep weight off his leg, but he should recover just fine," the doctor replied.

"Can we see him?" Catherine asked, glancing briefly to James who was standing next to her.

"Yes. He's still unconscious at the moment; we're just waiting for him to wake up from the anaesthesia."

"How long will that take?" James asked.

"That's up to him."

James nodded, looking at Catherine.

"You two go. I'll wait here," Joy said.

"Are you sure?" James asked.

"Yeah. Plus, someone has to watch your bag."

"You don't have to wait," Catherine said.

"It's fine, really. Go. I'll be right here," Joy replied.

Catherine hugged her, as did James.

"Go," Joy smiled at both of them.

James smiled, holding out his hand to Catherine, another offering of support between them as they followed the doctor to Michael's room. When they walked in, Michael was lying unconscious on the bed, his left leg in a cast that went to just below his knee. Wires and tubes connected him to the various machines that showed he was still alive, still breathing. Catherine sat down in the chair closest to the bed and held Michael's hand.

"Mum and I knew not to ask him or dad to promise us things like this wouldn't happen, but it didn't stop me from hoping anyway," Catherine said.

"I knew not to ask him, because I know he wouldn't ask the same of me. Same with working. We're both the type to at least attempt stunts if we think we can handle them, even if we end up bruised by the end of the day. The motorcycles are no different," James said, moving the other chair closer and sitting on the opposite side.

"I think that's part of why you two work so well. You understand and know. You don't want to change him and you know he won't try to change you," Catherine replied.

"I fell in love with who he is. I knew what I was getting myself into."

Catherine smiled at him. He smiled back and then looked at Michael.

"I am a little annoyed that I come home after two months of being gone and this is what I come home to. I know it's not something he had control over, but he was supposed to be waiting at home for me, as selfish as that sounds," he said.

"I think you're allowed to be selfish. You two should be at home and not here. I'd prefer it, too."

James nodded, still looking at Michael reminding himself that he was alive, would heal with time, and be back to his usual self in no time. He and Catherine sat for a while in silence, both waiting and hoping Michael would wake up. Catherine yawned at one point. James glanced at his watch.

"If you want to go home, I'll call you when he wakes up," he said.

Catherine shrugged.

"I wouldn't want to leave you alone," she said.

"I'll be fine. I'll be here with him," James replied.

"You should probably go home at some point, too."

"I can't."

Catherine nodded. She stood and walked over to him, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Take care of you, too, okay?" she said.

"I will, I promise," James replied.

Catherine nodded, giving him the concerned sisterly look before heading out of the room. After the door closed behind her, he looked back to Michael and reaching over to hold his hand. After a few more minutes of the heart rate monitor being the only sound in the room, James began to ramble.

"I'm half tempted to be mad at you for crashing your bike while I was on my way home. I know it wasn't your fault, it was an accident, but I was flying home. You should have been home, waiting for me. Naked in bed, preferably. Which I still expect, when you're better. "

James squeezed Michael's hand, allowing himself to breathe.

"I'd really like it if you'd wake up now. It's weird to not have you laughing or teasing me for rambling. I know you'd call me adorable and I'd argue that I wasn't. Michael, please wake up. Wake up and tell me I'm adorable when I ramble. I won't even argue with you. I'll let you call me adorable every day if you want. Please Michael."

James was grateful that Catherine had left as the first tears began to fall. The only sound was the beeping of the monitor, the only reminder that Michael was still alive, still there, still breathing. It wasn't as reassuring as it should have been, not like Michael's voice or laugh would be.

"I guess I'll keep talking because I can't stand the silence. And I'm definitely not going home without you either. I have plans beyond you naked in bed. Though they involve clothes and maybe leaving the house, unless you think you could allow me to cook. I can cook. I just like it when you cook. But I will cook for you. I think it'd be better if I did, for this at least. There are other things involved in that plan, but you have to wake up before I'll tell you what they are. So please wake up because I really do want to tell."

Michael still didn't look back at him.

"Our anniversary is coming up. I have plenty of plans for that, too. Please just wake up. I love you and I need you to wake up. Our sisters were here. I'm glad they aren't here to see me like this."

The room remained unhelpfully silent.

"I don't know what else to say. Please wake up, Michael. Please."

More tears fell but James didn't try to stop them. He continued to hold Michael's hand while repeating quietly over and over again that he just wanted Michael to wake up.

James fell asleep a while later, head resting on his arms on the bed next to Michael. He woke up to the gentle touch of fingers brushing the hair off his face.

"James."

James sat up, blue eyes staring at Michael.

"You're awake."

Michael started to nod, when James stood and hugged him.

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

"I won't. I'm sorry."

James relaxed a little, as Michael hugged him back. He pulled back to look at Michael, wanting to see him.

"I had just barely arrived home, when my sister called to tell me you were in the hospital. You were still in surgery when I met ours sisters here."

"Oh, James. I'm so sorry."

Michael pulled James back into his arms and held him. James ended up sitting a bit awkwardly on the edge of the bed, holding onto Michael.

"Our sisters were here?"

"Yeah. Catherine went home. She was tired. I think Joy took her home. I should call them."

"You didn’t have to stay either."

"Yes, I did. I was on our doorstep when Joy called. I couldn't go in knowing you weren't there."

Michael held James a little tighter.

"You'll have to go home at some point."

"Nope."

"I guess I'm going home naked then."

They both laughed at that, James so relieved to hear Michael laughing again.

"Hey, James."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight anytime soon."

"Okay."

"I mean it."

"I know."

James sighed, resting his head against Michael's shoulder.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," Michael replied.

"I really should call our sisters."

"Yeah."

James sat up, looking at Michael again to reassure himself that Michael was really awake.

"I'm not going anywhere," Michael said.

James nodded and pulled out his phone. He called his sister first and she told him to take care of Michael and not worry about his stuff, she'd taken it home for him and left it by the couch for when he eventually went home. He thanked her, having not thought about his bag after Catherine had left, and had forgotten that both their sisters had a spare key to their flat. He then called Catherine, who asked to speak with Michael. James handed him the phone and listened as Michael reassured his sister and agreed to and promised her things before he handed the phone back. She promised James she'd be back the next day. Once his phone was tucked back in his pocket, he looked to Michael.

"Come here," Michael said, moving over as much as he could in the small hospital bed.

James sat down next to him, leaning against Michael who put his arms around him.

"No chance I can talk you into going home for the night?" he asked.

"Nope," James replied.

"I'm really not going to go anywhere, I promise."

"I know. I'll go home tomorrow, for clothes for you. Just let me stay tonight."

"Okay."

James held onto Michael.

"Shouldn't you be comforting me?" Michael asked.

"Maybe, probably. I thought I was going to lose you," James replied.

"But you didn't. And I won't be riding the bike for a while. We'll have to drive our dinky car."

"Be nice about our dinky car. I like our dinky car."

"I like it because you do."

James smiled up at him.

"Get some sleep, at least," Michael said, running his fingers through James' hair, "okay?"

"I will. Pretty sure the chair reclines, too," James smiled.

"I didn't say you couldn't stay up here."

James looked up at Michael, his smile gone as quickly as it had appeared.

"You need to sleep, too," he said.

"Okay, I will. Promise."

"Good."

James snuggled into Michael's arms again, his head against Michael's chest listening to his heartbeat. Michael continued to hold him and stroke his hair, even after James fell asleep.

The next day, the doctor said Michael could go home so while Catherine stayed there with Michael, James took a cab back to their flat to grab clothes for him and drove back.

He helped Michael dress, the cast making it a bit difficult to put on pants and trying not to strain his stitches when put on his shirt. Once he was dressed, a nurse brought crutches.

"Really?" he asked.

"Unless you want that fracture to become worse or break, have to keep weight off of it," the nurse replied.

"Right."

The nurse smiled and left. Michael looked at James, crutches held loosely in his hands.

"I'm not carrying you," James said, "Not all the time at least."

Michael sighed and carefully stood up, keeping his weight off his leg while trying to manoeuvre the crutches.

"Can't you just half carry me like you did after the golf cart incident?" he asked.

"No. Besides, you were half carrying me, since you were convinced I had a concussion," James replied.

"Still convinced you did."

"I was entirely fine. Now, I know you can do this. Or you can stay here."

"That's not fair."

"You only need to get as far as the front of the building and then inside our flat. You can do it. You're just used to hopping up and going back to it. This time you have to take it easy and rest."

"You know me so well."

"I better. Here, if you make it to the door, you get a kiss."

"You're bribing me with kisses?"

James nodded, standing by the door. Michael shook his head, but grabbed the crutches. After a couple of wobbly steps, he made his way to the door, stopping triumphantly in front of James.

"See, I knew you could do it," James smiled.

"Do I get my reward?" Michael asked.

"Yes."

Michael leaned in against his crutches as James kissed him.

"You'll get another one when we get to the elevator and another at the front door. Then we'll go home in our dinky car and you'll get another one when you make it inside to the couch, deal?"

"Deal."

James kissed him again. Michael struggled only a little bit with the crutches, but made it to all of James' goal points until they made it home and to the couch, where after receiving his last reward, he curled into James' arms.

"How are you feeling?" James asked, arms protectively wrapped around Michael.

"Okay. A little tired," Michael replied, relaxed against James.

"Want to go to bed?"

"Not yet."

"I'm not carrying you to bed."

"I know."

James chuckled, kissing the top of his head.

"I love you," he said, "and I'm glad you're home safe."

"I love you, too. I'm glad we're both home."

"Me, too."

Michael closed his eyes, stifling a yawn. James smiled, his own eyes starting to close.

"Maybe we should go to bed," Michael yawned.

"In a bit," James replied, "I like it right here."

Michael peeked up at James with one eye, smiled and with both eyes closed again, snuggled against James more.

"Me, too."

They stayed there, curled up on their couch in their flat together. Eventually, James realized they should probably move, as he could feel the start of a crick in his neck from the not so friendly couch arm. He opened his eyes to look down at Michael, who seemed to be sound sleep against him.

"Michael," he said, "should probably head to bed now."

Michael groaned and shifted to curl against him more. James chuckled, while trying to figure out how to get up off the couch and carry Michael to bed.

"You could help," he said, only partially meaning it.

Michael grumbled something that sounded like a no. James sighed, shifting both of them so Michael was closer to the couch so he could get up without causing further injury to Michael. Once he could stand up, he stretched loosening the muscles in his neck and shoulders, before picking Michael up and carrying him down the hall to their bedroom and setting him down on the bed.

"I feel like I should be concerned that you weren't heavier with cast," he said.

"Sorry," Michael mumbled.

James contemplated asking why Michael was sorry and then thought maybe he was just sorry about the cast.

"Rather have you with the cast," he said, leaning over to kiss Michael.

"Don't go."

"Just going to grab your crutches. I'll be right back."

Michael frowned, as James disappeared back down the hall. With crutches in hand, he returned to the bedroom and left them leaning against the wall by Michael's side of the bed. Then he joined Michael on the bed, wrapping his arms around him when Michael curled up against him again.

"I love you," Michael said.

"I love you, too," James replied.

He held Michael tighter and kissed the top of his head.

"Not going anywhere," Michael said.

"I know. I like holding you."

"I like you holding me."

"Get some sleep."

"You, too."

James smiled at the man in his arms, watching him as he fell asleep knowing that he safe and alive before falling asleep himself.


End file.
